Artist Profile

It seems like I have been working with hard shell gourds for all of my life, because all of the women in my family have been gardeners and artists, but it actually started in the mid-1990’s. I was growing pumpkins and gourds for the neighborhood kids, then I bought a book and a few tools and passion took flight. This journey has been one of discovery, learning, and sharing. Each gourd goes through up to one year of growing, ripening and drying to be ready for the artist. Then comes the cleaning, inside and out, and the vision of what the gourd wants to be presents itself. There may be cutting, carving, drilling, wood burning, and a lot of sanding! Then add paint and ink dye, weaving and beading, and maybe occasionally tears. I love every minute of what I do (well, maybe not the cleaning part). I am a member of the American Gourd Society and the Michigan Gourd Society. I am honored to be an Art Guild member at Crooked Tree!